title: Diet-related practices and BMI are associated with diet quality in older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association of diet-related practices and BMI with diet quality in rural adults aged ≥74 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional. Dietary quality was assessed by the twenty-five-item Dietary Screening Tool (DST). Diet-related practices were self-reported. Multivariate linear regression models were used to analyse associations of DST scores with BMI and diet-related practices after controlling for gender, age, education, smoking and self- v. proxy reporting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Geisinger Rural Aging Study (GRAS) in Pennsylvania, USA.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 4009 (1722 males, 2287 females; mean age 81·5 years) participants aged ≥74 years.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with BMI < 18·5 kg/m2 had a significantly lower DST score (mean 55·8, 95 % CI 52·9, 58·7) than those individuals with BMI = 18·5-24·9 kg/m2 (mean 60·7, 95 % CI 60·1, 61·5; P = 0·001). Older adults with higher, more favourable DST scores were significantly more likely to be food sufficient, report eating breakfast, have no chewing difficulties and report no decline in intake in the previous 6 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The DST may identify potential targets for improving diet quality in older adults including promotion of healthy BMI, breakfast consumption, improving dentition and identifying strategies to decrease concern about food sufficiency.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutritional Sciences,The Pennsylvania State University,110 Chandlee Laboratory,University Park,PA 16802,USA.
authors.forename: Dara W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Epidemiology,Emory University,Atlanta,GA,USA.
authors.forename: Terryl J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.affiliation: 3Center for Health Research & Obesity Institute,Geisinger Health System,Danville,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Still
authors.affiliation: 3Center for Health Research & Obesity Institute,Geisinger Health System,Danville,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutritional Sciences,The Pennsylvania State University,110 Chandlee Laboratory,University Park,PA 16802,USA.
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutritional Sciences,The Pennsylvania State University,110 Chandlee Laboratory,University Park,PA 16802,USA.
authors.forename: Pao Ying
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Hsiao
authors.affiliation: 4Office of Dietary Supplements,National Institutes of Health,Rockville,MD,USA.
authors.forename: Regan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutritional Sciences,The Pennsylvania State University,110 Chandlee Laboratory,University Park,PA 16802,USA.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smiciklas-Wright
authors.affiliation: 5The Methodology Center,The Pennsylvania State University,State College,PA,USA.
authors.forename: Donna L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Coffman
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nutritional Sciences,The Pennsylvania State University,110 Chandlee Laboratory,University Park,PA 16802,USA.
authors.forename: Gordon L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Jensen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004034:Diet Surveys; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005523:Food Supply; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012424:Rural Population; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors